Virtual Physical Therapy: Why I Believe It’s the Future

I founded motivPT because I kept seeing barriers in the traditional PT model: inconvenience, surprise costs, and therapy that too often felt boring and didn’t inspire doing home exercise. Recently, I had the chance to catch up with Erin Kline from The American Dream TV to share my story and talk about how virtual physical therapy is transforming how people access care. You can watch the full interview here:

Moving physical therapy online took away the physical limitations of patients being seen in-person–how far they drove to get to me, when they could get off work or school, if the weather cooperated. I moved from Minnesota to Colorado recently—but thanks to virtual care, location doesn’t change my ability to help people wherever they are in the U.S.

First things first, virtual physical therapy is real therapy, and it works–giving people the same improvement and outcome they would get in a clinic. And when it comes to how PT fits into people’s lives, in many cases virtual PT works better than in-person care. Below are some of the evidence and experiences that confirm what I’ve seen in practice.

What the Research Shows

Here are some recent studies and systematic reviews that back up virtual PT / telerehabilitation as an effective option:

1. VERITAS Trial (Total Knee Arthroplasty)
   A study compared virtual PT versus traditional in-clinic/home PT after knee replacement. It found that virtual PT produced similar clinical outcomes (range of motion, pain, function) and significantly lowered healthcare costs over 12 weeks.
   
2. Chronic Low Back Pain & Telehealth PT
   In a longitudinal observational study with 126 participants, those using telehealth PT via videoconferencing showed significant improvements in disability, pain intensity, physical function, sleep disturbance, and overall quality of life. Satisfaction was high.
   
3. Shoulder Pain and Telerehabilitation
   A systematic review looked at trials in patients with shoulder pain and found that telerehabilitation (virtual PT) was comparable to in-person or home-based exercise programs in terms of reducing pain and improving function.
   
4. Systematic Review / Meta-analysis of Telerehabilitation
   A large overview study reviewed many physical therapy contexts and found that for many conditions—including knee/hip replacement, low back pain, osteoarthritis—telerehabilitation was either “comparable with” or in some cases better than; not inferior to in-person rehab.

What This Means for motivPT & You

I bring all of this up because it confirms what I’ve believed from day one: you don’t have to be physically in a clinic to get excellent physical therapy care. After 4+ years of motivPT, I’ve seen too many people get better and change their lives to not believe in it. What matters is good assessment, personalized treatment, and consistent follow-through. Virtual physical therapy makes that easier, not worse.

Here are some takeaways I try to build into every motivPT plan (informed by both research & my clinical experience):

• Clear, thorough intake so I understand your history, pain, goals. This is like “90% of the work” even before we start moving.
• Exercises assignments and cues that are safe, targeted, and achievable at home–I use video instead of paper assignments, and people actually follow through.
• Regular check-ins and progressions—observing how you move, seeing what hurts or improves. The signs of progress are clear and, when progress is happening, exercises need to advance.
• Engagement & motivation matter. People stick with what works, and virtual PT removes friction: no travel, more flexible scheduling, fewer surprises.

A Personal Update: From Minnesota to Colorado

Though I used to base motivPT in Minnesota, I’ve since moved to Colorado. Because everything is virtual, it doesn’t matter where I live—I can still treat you, help you progress, and support your journey, no matter your location.

Why Virtual PT Works (Especially Now)

• It’s more accessible: if driving, scheduling, or time off work are difficult, virtual sessions remove a lot of barriers.
• It’s cost-efficient: fewer overheads, transparent pricing, less travel, and many of the studies (VERITAS, etc.) show cost savings.
• It encourages consistency: you’re more likely to keep up with therapy if it’s easier to attend. And you’re more likely to do your exercises if they’re easy to follow.
• The outcomes are validated: the science is increasingly clear that virtual PT (or tele-rehab) can deliver outcomes on par with in-person care.

If You’re Curious

If you’ve ever thought, “Maybe virtual PT wouldn’t help me because I need hands-on work” or “I’m worried it won’t be as good”—that’s totally valid. But I invite you to watch the Erin Kline interview, consider what your goals are, and think about how life goes better when we feel better. Physical therapy in general, online and in-person, is a powerful way to change how you’re moving and feeling.

I, Dr. Alex, am here to support you every step of the way, no matter where you are. Book your free 15-minute consult to talk with me about your concerns and learn more about how we work! Our online physical therapy and personal training can help you regain what you thought you’d lost and go strongly into your future.

At motivPT, we believe your body deserves to feel great.